Assassinatrix05
5:53:13 PM Rycroft: When last we left, Crow had fallen alseep in Felix's RV next to her new friend. 5:53:48 PM Crow: Crow likes her new cuddlebuddy! She hopes she doesn't kill him in her sleep! 5:55:15 PM Rycroft: She sleeps dreaming of Court Jesters and stoic priests and tall slayers and musical snipers, perhaps, when the floor of her dream falls out from under her, dropping her into another flashback. 5:55:47 PM Crow: Ah, crap. 6:03:48 PM Rycroft: Some time has gone by since your last 'visit' to this time, you're guessing. You didn't realize it at the time, but this was where you started losing long tracks of time in your training. You spent lots of time in a state of hypnosis, being mildly electrocuted and drugged to help develop your muscle memory and hone your reflexes and reaction speed. One day, you're sitting in the cafeteria with Judy and Sam. 6:03:53 PM Rycroft: Judy: ... what month is it? 6:04:18 PM Crow: ... I have no idea. 6:04:30 PM Rycroft: Sam: ... I feel like that should bother me more. 6:07:06 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 6:07:12 PM Crow: Probably they told us not to let it bother us. 6:07:40 PM Rycroft: Sam: Probably. That should bother me more too. But then they probably told us not to let that bother us, either. 6:07:54 PM Rycroft: Judy: Just an endless recursive loop of hypno-prozac, then. 6:08:03 PM Crow: We're gonna go out there, and it'll be like, 2590 and we'll be like... wow, when I was your age we didn't brainsurf the holoweb. 6:08:17 PM Rycroft: Judy and Sam laugh. 6:08:27 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 6:08:32 PM Crow: I don't have any family anymore anyway. 6:09:14 PM Rycroft: Judy: I do, but I'm happy not to see 'em. 6:10:03 PM Crow: Well, then, there we are. 6:10:06 PM Crow: Crow smiles. 6:10:08 PM Crow: We're okay. 6:10:48 PM Rycroft: Judy: ... we are killing machines, there's that at least. 6:11:11 PM Crow: Bad-thing killing machines. 6:11:29 PM Rycroft: Judy slides her pudding over. 6:12:09 PM Crow: I love you, Judy. 6:12:12 PM Crow: Crow takes it. 6:15:44 PM Rycroft: Sam checks his watch. "Welp. Range time. See you ladies later." He tosses you his pudding before he goes. 6:16:05 PM Crow: Ooh, I love you too, Sam. Have fun! 6:16:06 PM Crow: Crow waves. 6:19:13 PM Rycroft: Judy: Seen Dalton lately? Had a run-in with him yesterday. 6:19:29 PM Crow: Nope. What kind of run-in? 6:19:38 PM Crow: Does he still wear a tie around you? 6:20:33 PM Rycroft: She moves her now-necklength hair out of the way and indicates a slightly red mark on the skin of her neck. "He bled me a little, but only after I cut him pretty bad in sparring." 6:20:47 PM Crow: Woah, nice. How did it feel? 6:21:18 PM Crow: I keep nagging him to bite me and he won't. 6:21:29 PM Crow: He's playing hard to get. 6:22:05 PM Rycroft: Judy: ....felt pretty good, really. 6:22:33 PM Crow: Pretty good or... y'know. *Pretty* good? 6:24:01 PM Rycroft: Judy: ... really good. Like.... really really good. Like it's been I-literally-have-no-idea-how-long-it's-been-since-I-had-sex really good. 6:24:19 PM Crow: .... wow, sexy-sexy Dalton. 6:24:22 PM Crow: Crow waggles her eyebrows. 6:24:57 PM Rycroft: Judy: Oh, he's fairly repulsive. It's just his teeth I like. 6:25:07 PM Crow: Good call. 6:27:20 PM Rycroft: Judy: And it makes sense, since they're supposed to be these super-predators. Just another way to get the bird to walk into the snake's mouth. 6:27:38 PM Crow: Repeatedly. 6:28:18 PM Crow: Well I keep *telling* him to bite me. He'll have to eventually. 6:28:37 PM Rycroft: Judy: Maybe he likes you. 6:28:55 PM Crow: Pretty sure he hates my ass, actually. 6:29:27 PM Rycroft: Judy: Why do you say that? 6:29:35 PM Crow: I piss him off whenever possible. 6:29:58 PM Crow: Even telling him to bite me pisses him off, 'cause he is, uh... with regard to biting, anyway? Not into consent. 6:30:25 PM Crow: Also I killed three of his ties. 6:30:35 PM Rycroft: Judy: Huh. 6:30:47 PM Crow: It was for his own good. 6:31:15 PM Crow: One was like... you know when a baby eats pureed broccoli? Yeah, the baby's *other* end was that color. *That* tie. 6:31:52 PM Rycroft: Judy: ...eww. 6:32:01 PM Crow: Crow eats pudding cheerfully. 6:32:10 PM Crow: Yeah, it was for the betterment of all mankind. 6:32:29 PM Rycroft: Judy: Agreed. 6:33:06 PM Crow: Then there was the baby-eats-pureed squash one. 6:33:19 PM Crow: ... I should ask him if vampires are colorblind. 6:33:39 PM Rycroft: Judy: The ones he clearly bought in the 70s. 6:33:46 PM Crow: Yep. 6:33:53 PM Crow: The 80s ones are way way better. 6:34:08 PM Crow: You really can't go too wrong with black, even if it's skinny. 6:34:18 PM Rycroft: Judy: Or a piano tie. 6:34:41 PM Crow: Oh, I got him that one. I had to explain it to Doc. 6:36:03 PM Rycroft: Judy: .. you have to explain a lo of things to Doc. 6:36:12 PM Crow: Nah, not really. 6:36:28 PM Crow: Just anything related to humor. Or jokes. Or feelings. 6:36:42 PM Rycroft: Judy: Pop culture references. Music. 6:37:27 PM Crow: ... why you should pet kittens, why snakes are too cuddly to be good pets, why it's not appropriate to make eye contact in an elevator, what a personal space bubble is... 6:38:38 PM Rycroft: Judy: so.... a lot of things. 6:39:05 PM Crow: Yeah, point. 6:39:46 PM Rycroft: Your phone rings! 6:40:43 PM Crow: Crow answers it. "Whalen's Whalin' Wailers, can I help you?" 6:41:28 PM Rycroft: Doc: Agent Crow? Be in my office in one hour, please. Wear supportive underwear. 6:42:38 PM Crow: Shit, I don't think any of mine is supportive. Fuck it, I won't wear any. That sound good? 6:43:34 PM Rycroft: Doc: I can never tell when you are being facetious. In any case, I will have some here for you. 6:44:15 PM Crow: Ooh, make sure they're cute! Like, with R2-D2 on them or something. 6:47:57 PM Rycroft: Doc: R2-D2 is the humourous automaton from The Star Wars, yes? 6:48:02 PM Crow: Yeah! 6:48:17 PM Rycroft: Doc: Appropriate. I will do so. 6:48:23 PM Crow: Awesomeeee. See you then! 6:48:34 PM Rycroft: She hangs up. 6:48:46 PM Rycroft: Judy: ... dare I ask? 6:49:12 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 6:49:30 PM Crow: I'm supposed to wear supportive underwear. I dunno if you've *seen* my underwear, but uh... it's more decorative anything, most of it. 6:50:13 PM Rycroft: Judy: ... that is terrifying. 6:50:39 PM Rycroft: Judy: Not your underwear, but why she's asking for specifics. 6:52:49 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 6:52:54 PM Crow: Take it as it comes. 6:53:31 PM Rycroft: Judy: Well. I'm off to practice throwing knives. 6:53:48 PM Crow: Have fun! 6:54:37 PM Rycroft: She leaves! Leaving you to fritter away your time before seeing Doc. 6:55:04 PM Crow: Crow finishes her pudding and reads! 6:57:15 PM Rycroft: An hour goes by! 6:57:21 PM Rycroft: Long enough for your pudding to settle. 6:57:28 PM Crow: Crow shows up on time! 6:58:58 PM Rycroft: She's sitting behind her desk! "Agent Crow. how are you feeling? Any new mental anomalies I should know about? 6:59:07 PM Crow: I feel like I'm fulla pudding. It's great. 7:01:12 PM Rycroft: Doc: Is that because you just ate pudding? 7:02:08 PM Crow: Yeah! 7:04:42 PM Rycroft: Doc: ... then that is not what I am referring to. Hardly an anomaly at all, really. 7:04:58 PM Crow: Nope! 7:06:49 PM Rycroft: Doc: Are there any actual issues or mental analomies you're associating with your hypnotic conditioning? 7:07:37 PM Crow: Nope! 8:56:46 PM Rycroft: Doc: Questions? Queries? Comments? Concerns? Complaints? 8:57:18 PM Crow: Nope! How's Dalton? 8:57:18 PM Rycroft: Doc pulls out a little tape recorder and mumbles into it. "Day 3: I keep falling into alliterative patterns. Bring up with therapist." 8:59:33 PM Crow: Crow smiles politely. 9:02:01 PM Rycroft: Doc: Oh, much the same. Smugly irritating. Keeps asking if I'd like him to bite me. I tell him 'no, thank you', but he keeps offering. 9:02:34 PM Crow: Judy thinks he likes me. 9:03:07 PM Rycroft: Doc: Almost certainly he has developed some kind of attachment to you. 9:04:13 PM Crow: He has not. 9:05:20 PM Rycroft: Doc: It is strange, isn't it? 9:05:51 PM Rycroft: Doc: For good or for ill, he's developed something. 9:09:32 PM Rycroft: Doc: He's remarkably hard for me to read, though. 9:11:54 PM Crow: Uh, if by "something" you mean "hatred," yeah. 9:14:02 PM Rycroft: Doc: Hatred... perhaps. Maybe something between hatred and fondness. Definitely not contempt, though. He does not show you any comtempt, and that is something that he shows every other person he meets here. 9:16:20 PM Crow: Huh. Wow, I'm gonna have to give him a hug next time I see him. 9:17:27 PM Rycroft: Doc: Mm. He would hate that. 9:17:38 PM Crow: *Exactly.* 9:18:42 PM Rycroft: Doc: ... ah, you hope to antagonize him? 9:18:50 PM Crow: Sure, it's fun. 9:18:52 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 9:19:14 PM Rycroft: Doc: You're not afraid of him? 9:19:38 PM Crow: Nope. 9:20:03 PM Crow: Not planning on getting careless either, though. 9:20:20 PM Rycroft: Doc: Perhaps that's the difference. 9:20:35 PM Crow: He's not *really* that scary. 9:20:40 PM Crow: Apart from the wardrobe. 9:22:08 PM Rycroft: Doc: ... truly? Vampires project something of an aura of unease. It's largely involuntary, though Dalton can suppress his if he wishes, he usually chooses not to. You've never felt that from him? 9:22:47 PM Crow: Uh, no, not really? 9:23:08 PM Rycroft: She takes down some notes. "Fascinating." 9:24:07 PM Crow: He could be suppressing it, though. 9:24:09 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 9:25:22 PM Rycroft: Doc: Again, suggesting he likes you. 9:25:41 PM Crow: Or that he's waiting to go full VLAD THE IMPALER on me later, or whatever. 9:26:32 PM Rycroft: Doc: Impale you on a spike as a warning to others? hmm. I shall make sure he doesn't get his hands on a spike. 9:27:51 PM Crow: Eh, don't bother. 9:27:58 PM Crow: You can make a spike out of *anything.* 9:29:07 PM Rycroft: Doc: ... true. We'll just hope that he's not planning that. 9:29:40 PM Rycroft: She sits back behind her desk. "Well then." 9:30:04 PM Crow: Well what? 9:31:30 PM Rycroft: Doc: Well, I didn't bring you here to talk about Dalton. 9:32:14 PM Crow: Nope! 9:34:20 PM Rycroft: She gives a thin little smile. which is the most she ever smiles. "Just keep swimming, Crow. Just keep swimming. What do we do?" 9:34:57 PM Crow: We keep swimming, swimming. 9:36:14 PM Rycroft: Doc: How deep are you? 9:38:14 PM Crow: Six feet. 9:42:23 PM Rycroft: Doc: I would like you to drop down until you're at twenty feet. 9:42:41 PM Crow: Crow does, and goes quiet. 9:43:44 PM Rycroft: Doc: You're at twenty feet? 9:44:16 PM Crow: Yes. 9:45:54 PM Rycroft: Doc: Good, very good. Who am I? 9:46:25 PM Crow: Doc. 9:48:23 PM Rycroft: Doc: Yes, very good. Are you ready to continue your training? 9:49:36 PM Crow: Yes. 9:51:52 PM Rycroft: Doc: Good! Disrobe, please. I asked you to wear something supportive because you'll be doing a bit of leaping and climbing and I'll need to attach contacts. 9:52:29 PM Crow: Okay. 9:52:37 PM Crow: Crow takes her clothes off. 9:52:42 PM Crow: Crow takes all of them off. 9:53:51 PM Rycroft: Doc is very clinical, and hands her some supportive undergarments that are R2-D2 themed. 9:54:21 PM Crow: Crow puts them on! She would say thank you and admire them if she weren't hypnoed! 9:55:57 PM Rycroft: Doc: How is the fit, Crow? Are you comfortable? 9:56:12 PM Crow: Yes. 9:58:31 PM Rycroft: She attaches sticky electrodes to you! Arms, legs, back, stomach, temples. "Now, we're going to start your obedience conditioning. YOu normally don't like to obey when someone gives you a command, do you?" 9:58:57 PM Crow: Nope. 9:59:25 PM Rycroft: Doc: Why is that? 10:00:20 PM Crow: My grandma was really controlling. 10:01:45 PM Rycroft: Doc: Ahhh, I see. She expected your obedience, so you rebel against similar influences. 10:01:55 PM Crow: Yep. 10:02:41 PM Rycroft: Doc: Do I remind you of your grandmother? 10:02:57 PM Crow: No. 10:04:24 PM Rycroft: Doc: That's good. Raise your left hand above your head. 10:05:03 PM Crow: Crow does. 10:06:38 PM Rycroft: She presses a control, and Crow experiences a minor burst of pleasure moving through her. "The contacts on you can stimulate the release of a burst of endorphins. Did you like that?" 10:06:49 PM Crow: No. 10:11:40 PM Rycroft: Doc: I didn't think you would. This is usually how we would proceed through the obedience training -- a series of minor commands, and the successful execution of each command rewarded with a release of endorphins, until you reflexively obey. But it won't work on you. Your subconscious would start resisting the commands because of the reward. Is this accurate? 10:12:15 PM Crow: Probably. 10:13:12 PM Rycroft: Doc nods. "I have an alternate reward. You like Dalton, don't you? Perhaps like is too strong a word. You do not wish him harm." 10:14:24 PM Crow: I don't wish him *harm.* 10:15:54 PM Rycroft: Doc: What do you wish him? 10:16:08 PM Crow: ... 10:16:19 PM Crow: A cure for being an asshole. 10:19:34 PM Rycroft: Doc: Mmm. Well. I don't know that we can do that. But I'm going to tell you something about Dalton now. And I want you to inscribe what I tell you on the very deepest part of your mind. Under your feet as you swim, swim. Do you understand? 10:19:43 PM Crow: Okay. 10:27:15 PM Rycroft: Doc: Every order you obey, every command you submit to from your superiors, will directly correspond to how well we treat Dalton while he's here. Think of it as a permanent record -- all of your good marks will go onto Dalton's permanent record. So will your bad marks. Do you understand? 10:28:06 PM Crow: ... but he's valuable to you. 10:29:42 PM Rycroft: Doc: He is. But there comes a point where his value to us is not worth how much trouble it is to keep him in line. It's a delicate balance, and your obedience will tip the scale in his favor. 10:30:09 PM Crow: Marks? 10:32:02 PM Rycroft: Doc: Marks. This is not something you will remember consciously. But deep down, in your subconscious, you will know that every command you obey will contribute to Dalton's continued well-being in our employ. 10:33:28 PM Crow: ... okay. 10:38:38 PM Rycroft: She nods. "Now you and I are going to head down to the obstacle course for more muscle memory training." They have a Ninja Warrior-esque setup. It's pretty awesome. Even when you're being mildly electrocuted through the whole thing. She takes you down there and has you run the gauntlet, then tells you to beat your previous time by five seconds, then ten seconds, and you know inherently that every time you do so, another good mark is being put on Dalton's record! 10:39:03 PM Crow: Crow tries pretty hard! 10:42:39 PM Rycroft: She's able to-- her reflexes and reactions are really good, as is her clarity while she's in the middle of a situation. Judy and Sam are also brought in, both totally tranced like you are, and run through the gauntlet. You come out on top every time, with Judy just behind you and Sam lagging behind. You overhear Doc talking with some other neuro-sciency people whose names you don't know. "Judy and Sam are both running on the endorphin reward system, but Crow is running on a different incentive. Isn't it fascinating?" 10:43:03 PM Rycroft: And they all nod and cluck their tongues. 10:43:15 PM Rycroft: You get that feeling that Dalton is nearby, too, watching. 10:43:42 PM Crow: Crow looks for him, vaguely unhappy about it. 10:47:33 PM Rycroft: But you have a maze to run through! You continue training like this for some amount of time. The next time you're conscious again, you're standing in a hot shower. You're not sure how long you were under,b ut you know you're really sore. 10:48:04 PM Crow: Crow blinks, and washes her hair. 10:50:23 PM Rycroft: It's kinda scary, and you probably should be more freaked out about it, but it's not uncommon these days for you to black out in Doc's office and wake up... somewhere else having lost hours or even days at a time. All part of the process! 10:50:49 PM Rycroft: When you step out of the shower, Dalton's there. Holding out a towel. 10:51:00 PM Crow: Oh, hey. 10:51:02 PM Crow: Thanks! 10:51:09 PM Rycroft: He... doesn't stink. 10:51:16 PM Crow: Crow takes it and dries off. 10:51:21 PM Rycroft: No smell of cigarettes, no Axe. 10:51:27 PM Crow: ... you smell weird. 10:51:47 PM Rycroft: Dalton: There's no pleasing you. 10:51:59 PM Crow: I didn't say *bad.* 10:52:50 PM Crow: ... damn, I'm not gonna be able to smell you coming anymore. Sneaky-sneaky. 10:53:13 PM Crow: Crow wags her finger at him. 10:54:07 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Mmm. That's me. 10:54:20 PM Rycroft: Dalton: You'll just have to rely on your vampire-sense now. 10:54:40 PM Crow: Yeah! Well, it's an improvement, though. 10:55:04 PM Crow: Crow shrugs, and starts getting dressed. 10:55:22 PM Crow: Whatcha here for? 10:56:15 PM Rycroft: You can see by the clock that it's 3 in the morning. 10:57:09 PM Rycroft: Dalton: I go where I want, when I want. 10:57:43 PM Crow: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, feel free. Shit, it's late. 10:58:07 PM Crow: ... I feel like I should be pissed at somebody, but I'm not sure who. 10:58:17 PM Crow: Also kind of like I've been run over by a truck. 10:58:35 PM Rycroft: Dalton: How's your brainwashing? 10:58:50 PM Crow: I don't know. 10:59:02 PM Crow: If I knew it wouldn't be brainwashing, would it? 10:59:27 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Good point. 10:59:34 PM Crow: Crow shrugs. 10:59:43 PM | Edited 10:59:52 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Want to help me escape? 10:59:52 PM Crow: It bothers me that it doesn't bother me that... what? 11:00:48 PM Crow: ... this room's prob'ly bugged. 11:01:04 PM Rycroft: Dalton: you heard me. You want to help me escape from here? I'm tired of being threatened with having microexplosives in my face exploded. 11:01:14 PM Rycroft: Dalton: I turned em off. 11:01:17 PM Crow: Oh. 11:01:42 PM Crow: Wow, so basically you could like, kill me right now, huh? Well that's incredibly unsafe. 11:01:52 PM Crow: Gimme that hairbrush, wouldja? 11:02:04 PM Rycroft: He hands it over. 11:02:10 PM Crow: Crow starts brushing her hair back. 11:02:28 PM Crow: Wouldn't you like... go back to killing people and generally being an asshole if you got out? 11:03:51 PM Rycroft: Dalton: don't know what I'd do. Maybe I'm a bit people'd out. Maybe I'd be a hermit. Just raid a blood bank once in awhile. 11:04:22 PM Crow: Crow *eyes* him. 11:04:36 PM Crow: Never thought I'd say this, but dude, are you okay? 11:05:10 PM Rycroft: Dalton: I'm fine. Just a bit tired of this place. 11:05:26 PM Crow: Bullshit. 11:05:35 PM Crow: There's either something wrong, or this is another test. 11:10:04 PM Rycroft: Dalton: You know how long I've been here? 11:10:40 PM Crow: Nope. How long? 11:11:11 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Thirty years. Thirty years since I've been outside this complex. 11:11:25 PM Crow: That's it? I kinda thought it was longer. 11:12:02 PM Crow: You seem kinda into it, though. You get to screw around with the recruits, mess with people's heads. 11:12:24 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Oh, the twenty before that they mostly kept me in a tiny cell and poked me and prodded me and occasionally cut bits off of me. 11:12:36 PM | Edited 11:12:48 PM Rycroft: Dalton It's fun, dont' get me wrong. But I'm a bit over it now. 11:12:50 PM Crow: Cut *bits* off you? Which .... maybe I don't wanna know. 11:13:07 PM Crow: ... do they grow back? 11:13:24 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Mmmhmm. After a while and with enough fresh blood. 11:14:18 PM Crow: Wow, cool. 11:14:52 PM Crow: I dunno, man. Wouldn't you get into trouble out there? 11:16:24 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Not saying I'm a saint, or anything. I would take blood from people. But I wouldn't go back to killing em. That's what got me caught in the first place. And these days, it's even easier to track a vampire who leaves a trail of dead bodies. 11:17:03 PM Crow: Well, yeah. 11:17:22 PM Crow: How do I know this isn't some kind of test? 11:20:13 PM Rycroft: Dalton: You don't. I'm not the only one that loves playing with minds, after all. 11:20:45 PM Crow: Oh yeah? Why me, then? 11:21:38 PM Rycroft: Dalton: The other two? They hate me. They're afraid of me. They're pretty much already tin-soldiers. You're getting there, but not yet. Maybe an aluminum soldier. 11:22:09 PM Crow: Pfft. I'm never gonna be afraid of you, Dalton. 11:23:03 PM Rycroft: He shrugs. 11:23:57 PM Crow: Well... you'd look really gross with an exploded face anyway. Okay, I'll help. 11:25:00 PM Crow: But if you do start killing people I'll come track you down and kill you dead. Deal? 11:30:18 PM Rycroft: Dalton: ...huh, really? I thought you'd take more time to agree. 11:30:39 PM Crow: Let me guess, you and Doc had a bet. 11:31:01 PM Crow: Ten demerits and electroshock therapy for me? 11:31:24 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Nope. This wasn't a test. Speaking of therapy... 11:32:41 PM Rycroft: He mind mojos you. You've built up a *lot* of resistance so at this point he has to turn it on full force to work on you, which is a full-frontal mind-warp where he becomes the center of your universe and a god for you to obey unconditionally. 11:33:19 PM Crow: You asshole! 11:33:52 PM Crow: Crow resists as hard as she can! 11:35:01 PM Rycroft: He intensifies it. "Gotta be done. Can't have you blabbing to doc before I'm ready to make a move. And you *will* blab to doc the next time she puts you under, you wont' be able to help it. So I'm lockin this conversation behind a wall she won't be able to get through any time soon." 11:35:29 PM Crow: ... okay. 11:35:34 PM Crow: Are you gonna bite me now? 11:36:16 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Yep. Can't help but smell you, and this is taken a lot of juice to lock up in your head. 11:37:14 PM Crow: Okay. But you owe me a date. Do I smell nice? 11:37:26 PM Rycroft: Dalton Fuckin' delicious. 11:37:50 PM Crow: Okay. But don't forget, I gave you *permission.* 11:38:01 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Don't much care anymore. 11:38:08 PM Crow: *I* do. 11:38:22 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Whatever. 11:38:30 PM Rycroft: He steps up to you! 11:38:40 PM Crow: I can still beat you up. 11:38:54 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Uh huh. 11:39:12 PM Rycroft: His eyes are getting red! And his teeth are getting pointy. 11:40:39 PM Crow: You're not attractive. And I kind of hate you sometimes. 11:43:50 PM Rycroft: Dalton: I know. I'm a pretty awful guy. Come here. 11:45:36 PM Crow: Yeah, you're a good trainer, though. 11:45:37 PM Crow: Crow does. Warily. 11:46:19 PM Rycroft: He walks up to you and sinks his fangs into your neck! It feels good. Super-good. 11:47:30 PM Crow: Crow grunts, and mumbles "You suck, Dalton." 11:48:11 PM Rycroft: He just sips your blood for a few long moments before releasing you to kinda flop over onto the bed. 11:48:37 PM Crow: Crow unknots his tie and *steals* it before he does. AHA. Then flop. 11:48:46 PM Rycroft: He's not wearing one. 11:49:22 PM Crow: Crow damn! Foiled. She'll pop his collar, then! Something annoying! 11:49:41 PM Rycroft: Easy enough! 11:49:54 PM Rycroft: He doesn't care, just wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. 11:50:26 PM Crow: How come everyone thinks you *like* me. 11:50:49 PM Rycroft: Dalton: Who cares? 11:51:09 PM Crow: I do. 11:51:16 PM Crow: ... jerk. 11:53:10 PM Crow: Crow glares. 11:54:25 PM Rycroft: Dalton shrugs. "I'll be in touch." 11:54:29 PM Rycroft: He leaves! 11:54:46 PM Crow: Crow gives him the finger on the way out, and then curls up in a ball to cry. 11:55:00 PM Rycroft: Aww. 11:57:20 PM Crow: Crow probably falls asleep eventually, though. 11:57:58 PM Rycroft: Well, she wakes up in the here and now. 11:58:41 PM Crow: Crow curls up in a little ball and puts her hands over her head. 11:59:06 PM Rycroft: Felix snores on the bed next to her. 12:00:14 AM Crow: Crow hears this, and slowly relaxes again, resuming a more normal lying-down position next to her friend. Now she's just confused. 12:03:56 AM Crow: Crow suddenly thinks of a good thing to do! And looks for Felix's phone and Jasper's number on it! 12:04:29 AM Rycroft: You find it easy enough, it's on the bedstand. 12:05:34 AM Crow: Crow texts Jasper on her own phone: It's Crow. Do you take confessions and give advice and all that stuff? 12:06:02 AM Rycroft: After a few moments. "I can, haven't had to in awhile. What's on your mind?" 12:06:52 AM Crow: Crow replies: Can we meet somewhere? Felix is still out. Also he snores a lot, it is kind of cute. 12:07:25 AM Rycroft: Jasper: There's a coffee shop where we can meet. 12:07:28 AM Rycroft: He gives you the address? 12:08:32 AM Crow: Crow gets it, texts TY, and heads over there posthaste! 12:09:28 AM Crow: Crow gets dressed first, and at least tries to push her hair down into reasonable order. That might not really work. 12:11:11 AM Rycroft: Okay! You find it pretty easily, just a little dingy coffee/donut shop that's open 24 hours. 12:11:39 AM Crow: Crow gets a coffee and waits for her priest! 12:11:55 AM Rycroft: He shows up. 12:12:35 AM Crow: Crow buys him a coffee too. "Did I wake you up?" 12:12:53 AM Rycroft: Jasper Kind of, but we're used to keeping odd hours. What's on your mind? 12:15:09 AM Crow: Crow explains what happened to her and what she did and all about the last dream and finishes with "... and he's kind of an asshole but I don't know if I killed him, or got him killed, or if he escaped or if it was all a trick or what. And I kind of want to beat him up. But not like, a sexy beating." 12:15:53 AM Rycroft: Jasper: ... sounds complicated. 12:16:25 AM Crow: *Yes.* 12:16:31 AM Crow: What do I do? 12:17:34 AM Rycroft: Jasper: ... how long have you been having these dreams? 12:18:21 AM Crow: Since I left. 12:18:45 AM Crow: I'm not in love with *Dalton* am I? 'cause the guy's a huge a.. di... jerk. 12:20:12 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Doesn't sound like it. Maybe you got a bit attached to him because otherwise, you were surrounded by mind-fuckery and with him, you knew where you stood. yes, he did some mind-fuckery of his own, but you understood that, too. 12:21:25 AM Crow: ... that's true. 12:22:03 AM Rycroft: Jasper Sounds like he didn't hide what he was and in an environment like that, I can see why you'd appreciate that. 12:23:33 AM Crow: Yeah. I always want people to be better than they are, though. 12:24:23 AM Rycroft: Jasper: you might have projected a bit. 12:24:43 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Sounds like you just have to wait for the appropriate flashback to see his fate. 12:24:43 AM Crow: It wasn't *just* me. 12:25:15 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Hmm? 12:25:32 AM Crow: Everybody said he liked me. 12:25:34 AM Crow: Crow sniffles. 12:25:36 AM Crow: Mindgames suck. 12:26:23 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Maybe he appreciated your own qualities in his own way. 12:27:59 AM Crow: Crow puts her head down on the table and cries! 12:31:09 AM Rycroft: He pats you on the shoulder. "This must be pretty rough." 12:31:52 AM Rycroft: He orders you a donut. 12:32:02 AM Crow: Crow sniffles. 12:32:06 AM Crow: With chocolate frosting. 12:32:32 AM Crow: There's nothing I can do about *anything.* 12:32:40 AM Crow: Vampires are *jerks.* 12:32:53 AM Crow: *Everybody* is a jerk. 12:32:56 AM Rycroft: Jasper: That is generally the consensus. 12:33:10 AM Crow: I hate people. Can I go be a hermit now? 12:33:34 AM Rycroft: Jasper: If you want. I think you'd get bored. 12:33:48 AM Crow: Crow would last three whole minutes if she tried that. 12:34:08 AM Crow: ... yeah, probably. Plus I wouldn't be able to help anymore. 12:36:50 AM Crow: Aren't there any *nice* men? ... who *aren't* priests? 12:37:43 AM Crow: Or nice women? or nice *anybody*? 12:40:18 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Felix is nice. Ruby is nice. Jensen is nice. Is that what you're looking for? 12:40:32 AM Rycroft: Jasper: ..it helps to know what you want before you go looking. 12:40:53 AM Crow: ... well, I kind of want to find my vampires. 12:41:16 AM Crow: Dalton needs a kick in the balls. Sorry, Father Jasper but he *does.* 12:42:28 AM Rycroft: Jasper: Fair enough. And techincally it's 'Brother Jasper'. 12:42:43 AM Crow: Oh, okay. Sorry, Brother Jasper, then. 12:43:15 AM Crow: Not too sure about the other one. ... he'll probably turn out to be just as big of a jerk anyway. 12:46:28 AM Rycroft: Jasper Maybe. Maybe not.. 12:46:58 AM Rycroft: Jasper: We'll do what we can to help you find them. 12:47:11 AM Crow: Really? Are you sure? 12:47:21 AM Crow: You don't think I'm crazy or weird or anything? 12:47:40 AM Rycroft: Jasper: We're all crazy and weird. We hunt monsters. 12:48:03 AM Crow: ... well, yeah, but you don't have warm cuddly feelings toward any of them. 12:48:26 AM Rycroft: Jasper: I'm not convinced you do, either. 12:49:01 AM Crow: I don't know. 12:55:22 AM Crow: Crow shrugs.